Pin spotting mechanism



` May 10, 193g. J, F MURPHY 2,117,204

PIN SPOTTING MECHANISM FiledMy 1, 1957 5 sheets-sheet 2 3 shees-sneet a May 10, 1938. J. F. MURPHY PIN SPOTTING MECHANISM Filed May 1, 1937 Q I I l I l lampen/ @ww Ml. Q Q @j Q John/EMME* VQ www; I .N f c -..MMIIIJ VV ,im m-- QL@ o f Patented May 10, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE Application May 2 Claims.

This invention relates to pin spotting means for use in` the usual bowling alley, and in other like games, for properlypositioning pins, where pins or the like are used, and aims to provide a novel, simple and improved means for the above purpose, having, among others, the advantages and novel features hereinafter described and illustrated.

In the drawings of one embodiment of my invention selected for illustration and description herein:

Fig. 1 is a plan of the pin carrying end or foot of the conventional alley, as it appears with my novel pin-setting mechanism installed;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the alley end broken away, as the mechanism appears installed therein, with the mechanism covering element of the alley removed;

Fig. 3, a Vertical, longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking to the left, and partly broken away, showing one of the levers in its pocket;

Fig. 4, an end view of the structure of Fig. 2, showing the foot treadle for raising the pin-spotting levers;

Fig. 5, a partial plan of a section of an alley with its top removed, on an enlarged scale, showing a stud-raising lever, as the one on the left of Fig. 2, in its pocket in the alley, and which lever raises only a single stud;

Fig. 6, a side elevation of the center stud raising lever, Fig. 2, partly broken away at the center for convenience, and showing the alley structure in section;

Fig. '7, a vertical section on the line 1,-"I, Fig. 6, showing the pivot joint of the stud raising lever;

Fig. 8, a vertical cross section on the line 8-8 oi Fig. 6, looking to the right; and

Fig. 9, a vertical section of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 6, but showing the base of a pin broken away, as it is spoted by the stud.

Referring first to Fig. 2, the conventional bowl ing alley I, at its pin-carrying end or foot, is constructed oi somewhat less thickness than the rest of the alley, and I provide it beneath the surface with a plurality of properly positioned, longitudinally extended channels or pockets 2 to receive the pin-spotting elements, and these pockets, Fig. 1, are subsequently covered with a sheet of suitable material, as wood or bre-board, or the like, 3, known as a pin plate, secured by any suitable means, as screws 4. This pocket covering sheet 3 is, of course, of a thickness to complete properly the level playing surface of the alley.

1, 1937, Serial No. 140,204

In the pocket cover member 3 are secured, Figs. E,"

l, 6, 9, at proper points, as the pin seats, the necessary number of sockets or stud bearings 4a, for the proper number and arrangement oi the pinspotting studs 5, and the end and screwing it into a plate S, secured as by screws or pins 1 to the under face of the cover member 3.

The alley end, Figs. 3, 6, is` provided with usual suitable cross supports 8, 9, I0, II, I2, and the members 9, III, Figs. 3, 6, are cutaway to provide clearance for the outer ends of levers I3, pivoted in brackets I4, Figs. 3, 5, 6, the inner ends I5 of the brackets being outwardly, and secured to the member Ill.

The outer ends of the levers I3, Fig. '7, are provided with links or other suitable elements I6, for attachment to a foot treadle I1.

The inner ends of the levers I3 are connected as by pins I8 with stud-raising elements such as channel bars, or links, I9 of suitable length to operate the appropriate number, either one or more, Aof pin receiving studs 5. In Figs. 5, 6, broken out for convenience, the bar I9 is shown with a shallow shoe 2D, which carries the lower end of the stud 5 slidable vertically in the bearing 4, within the pin seat on the playing surface, and the stud carrying a helical spring 2 I the up per end of which seats against the plate E, while the lower end enters an aperture 2 Ia., in the lower end of the stud. The spring, of course, acts automatically if strong enough, otherwise it helps, to return the stud 5 and bar I9 to normal position when the latter is relieved of pressure.

The inner end of each bar I9, Fig. 6, is pivotally supported by a link 22, connected thereto and to a bracket 23 mounted on the cross support I2 on the alley I, to cause the bar to rise substantially horizontally with a short longitudinal motion, when actuated by the lever I3, so as to act properly, Fig. 2, upon all the studs 5 in the same Vertical plane, when the bar acts on more than one stud. By placing one foot upon the treadle I'I to depress it and raise the bar I9 and studs 5, the pins 24, which have stud receiving sockets 25 in the lower ends, may be quickly and accurately spotted and set up, without danger of any of. them being out of position or falling down, with consequent loss of time and extra work.

I believe my pin-spotting mechanism to be the simplest and most convenient and practicable, as well as least expensive, device of its kind that Iknow of, for use with the usual alley; and modliied within the spirit of my invention for any bearing may be conveniently secured in position by threading one turned downwardly and game, where pins or the like are used in a similar manner. It costs little to build it into a new alley, and it may be readily installed in an old alley, without destroying the alley end, and without substantially disturbing the floor of the building.

Heretofore, it has been, the practice to use a frame of triangular, rectangular or other shape, to carry and raise the pin-setting studs, or the like. This requires a clumsy, heavy and expensive structure, and extensive cutting of floor beams, particularly if of metal or concrete, for installation. I have very much simplied the problem by the use of my several long stud-raising bars I9. Where formerly it was necessary to remove, usually, the obstructive cross beams lll,r

or their equivalents, or other supports of the alley floor, in order to introduce the frames for raising the pins, I can now avoid this work and expense to a great degree by the use of individual )ars I9, or the like, which are accommodated by the few channels in the floor structure inexpensively made.

Furthermore, my construction provides another important advantage, namely:-if. any trouble is had with any particular pin stud, it may readily be attended to Without disengaging or a'ecting the remainder of the mechanism. In the usual instance, trouble with one stud affects the Whole stud-raising structure. My structure, with its relatively few elements, is much more simple to operate and easier than any of the conventional ones that I know of.

My invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment thereof illustrated and described herein, as obviously many modications of the same may be made, all within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Pin spotting means for bowling alleys having stud openings therein, said means comprising a plurality of stud raising bars longitudinally extended beneath the alley in parallel arrangement. studs loosely positioned on the bars and adapted, when projected through the stud openings in the alley, to spot the pins, the bars operative individually on the studs for the pins normally grouped in the same vertical planes with the respective bars, a lever and a link respectively secured to opposite bar ends with supports for said levers and links, and a foot treadle with means connected thereto and separately to each bar whereby each bar is separately adjustable and removable While preserving the assembly as a Whole.

2. Pin spotting means for bowling alleys and the like with stud receiving passages therein, said means comprising a plurality of stud raising, parallelly extended bars beneath the alley, and studs loosely resting on the bars and adapted to be projected through the said passages in the alley iloor to engage and spot the pins, said bars operative individually only on the studs grouped in the same vertical planes with the respective bars, levers and links for the opposite bar ends and supports for said links and bars, the bars connected operatively only at their rear ends, and a treadle with means for connecting it to and for operating the bars, each bar being free of any lateral frictional drag from the other bars.

JOHN F. MURPHY. 

